Question 56 GLI02 - Mate of Unlimited Tonnage

The Correct Answer is A **Explanation for Option A (Correct):** Option A describes the standard, mandatory safety and environmental procedure following the completion of bunkering operations (transferring fuel). 1. **Drained:** Any remaining fuel or oil inside the hose must be drained back into the receiving tank or into a dedicated slop/drain container to prevent spills and loss of product. 2. **Blanked Off (or Flanged/Capped):** Both ends of the hose (the ship manifold connection and the delivery point) must be sealed immediately using blind flanges or caps (often referred to as 'blanking off'). This prevents leakage of residual oil, protects the threads/fittings, and prevents water or foreign matter from entering the hose. 3. **Stored Securely:** Once drained and blanked, the hose must be disconnected, lifted carefully, and stowed correctly in its designated storage area (often on racks or reels) to prevent damage and ensure it is ready for the next use. **Explanation for Other Options (Incorrect):** * **B) The hose should be washed out with hot soapy water:** Washing the hose internally is generally not the immediate post-bunkering procedure. It is environmentally unsound to pump residual heavy oil or fuel into the environment (even with soap). Furthermore, fuel oil is not water-soluble, and attempting to wash the inside of the hose risks polluting the bilge or deck drains and is generally only done during specialized maintenance or repair, not routine stowage. * **C) The hose must be cleaned internally with a degreaser:** While degreasers might be used for heavy maintenance or during repairs, this is not the routine procedure for putting the hose away. Using a degreaser immediately after every bunker operation is costly, time-consuming, and creates a hazardous waste disposal problem (the degreaser mixed with fuel oil). Draining and blanking is the immediate operational requirement. * **D) The hose must be stowed vertically and allowed to drain:** While draining is necessary, storing the hose vertically and leaving it open to drain (without being blanked off) is dangerous. It leaves the residual oil exposed to potentially spill onto the deck or into a drain, and leaves the open ends susceptible to contamination and leakage, violating pollution prevention regulations. The hose must be positively sealed (blanked) before storage.